Michael Accardi 
Much like the original iteration of the F-150 Raptor, the brand new 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor was a bomb dropped on a segment stuck in a steady state. From the outside looking in it would be easy to misconstrue the Braptor as fender flares and a trick suspension, but beneath the surface, there are some slick mechanical tweaks that help unleash the potential of Ford’s latest off-road offering. For example, did you know the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 shares an anti-lag system with the Le Mans-winning Ford GT race cars?
The dish comes from a friend of MC&T and former contributor Lucas Bell, now with Road & Track, who sat down with Bronco Raptor Powertrain and Chassis Engineering Manager Pat Morgan. Anti-lag systems are nothing new to the automotive sphere, however, this isn’t your father’s Group B anti-lag. You know the sound, a guttural ratatatatatata that sends even the most seasoned of hood veterans ducking for cover and clutching for kevlar.
At its core, anti-lag is about keeping boost hot and ready for when you need it most, but there are a couple of different ways to go about it. The old-school style of anti-lag used spark and excess quantities of fuel to keep the turbo spinning and boost hopping. Unfortunately, that’s a wasteful way of doing things, both in terms of fuel consumption and thermal management, especially in the hyper-sensitive reality of 2022.
Instead, the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0-liter anti-lag system utilizes a throttle bypass system that props open the throttle body to allow enough air through to keep the turbo spooled up. All this happens without the driver’s foot on the pedal, and most importantly, without the injectors dumping fuel into the cylinders. Ford first perfected the patented system with the GT race cars in order to smooth out throttle application.
Keep in mind, the anti-lag system isn’t part of the Bronco Raptor’s everyday calibration strategy. The system is only activated through the truck’s unique Baja GOAT mode designed for high-speed desert running. Of course, nothing is stopping you from running around every day in Baja mode, especially if you’re a big ratatatatatata fan.
